JOHN KITTO, D.D., F.S.A., AUTHOR OF THE "LONDON PICTORIAL BIBLE, 99 66 CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE," ETC., ETC. EDITED BY ALVAN BOND, D.D., FORMERLY PROFESSOR OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE IN THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT BANGOR, MAINE; AND FOR ASSISTED IN GEOLOGY BY PROF. C. H. HITCHCOCK, LATE OF AMHERST COLLEGE. Embellished and Illustrated by about Three Hundred Engravings from designs by DORE and other celebrated of the Bible, and a Portrait of the Author engraved on steel. NORWICH, CONN.: PUBLISHED BY HENRY BILL. CHICAGO: CHARLES BILL. 1869. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by HENRY BILL, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the District of Connecticut. Geo. C. Rand & Avery, Electrotypers and Printers, Boston. PREFACE. "BIB IBLE History," says Dr. Lange, "differs from the general history of the kingdom of God, in that it delineates only the foundation of this kingdom by means of and during the course of revelation. It traces, in historical succession, the narrative contained in the Scriptures in all its essential features. In the Old Testament it shows us all the elements of the life of faith, and sets before us many a precious example of faith and patience for our imitation; while in the New Testament it exhibits the bistory of faith and salvation' made perfect,' both in the miracles and triumphs of the Lord, and in the deeds of His apostles. Thus Bible history forms the basis of Church history." which is nowhere found but in the Old Testament. True, there are fabulous legends and cosmogonies in which may be found a confused intermingling of traditional lore and the inventions of the imagination, but they are wanting in all the essential elements of authentic history. The Bible supplies, either by express statement or obvious implication, facts and principles which constitute genuine history, and go far to give the past all the value which it can possess for the men of these times. The history of the pre-Christian era embraces, 1. The primeval ages till the deluge, and the re-settlement of Noah and his family in Armenia. 2. The dispersion of the posterity of Noah's three sons till the calling of As a department of useful knowledge, it Abraham. 3. The origin and establishment possesses an intrinsic value and interest, sur- of the Hebrew Theocracy, and its relations to passing whatever can be claimed for any the ancient empires of the world, comprising other history. It covers a long period in the the period from Moses to David - the period age of human society, whose chronicles, in an of the kings from David to the Babylonian authentic form, have been nowhere else pre-exile the period of sacerdotal rule under served. It runs back to the eventful epoch the Maccabæan administration, or what is whence the creation of the world, in its pres- called the middle period. 4. Primitive Chrisent organic state, dates its existence; and tianity to the close of the first century. furnishes the only reliable record of the ori- Thus surveyed, it appears that Biblical gin of man, of his primitive condition, his history covers a period of four thousand fall, his subsequent development, and the for-years or more-from the morning of creatunes of his family. Biblical history is the source of all we know of the antediluvian period, and subsequent ages of the world down to the time of Herodotus, the father of history. It contains the only truthful account of the ancient and long since vanished civilizations. Herodotus was a contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah, the last of the Old Testament historians. The antediluvian period, and that intervening between the Noachian deluge and the times of Nehemiah, embrace an era of about three thousand five hundred years, the history of tion to the establishment of Christianity in all parts of the Roman empire. When considered in respect to the infallible sources whence it is derived, and the long flight of ages which it embraces, it must be regarded as possessing the highest claims to our careful study. "Viewed merely as a literary production, the Bible," says the able and learned editor of Dr. Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, "is a marvellous book, and without a rival. All the libraries of theology, philosophy, history, antiquities, poetry, law, and ix policy would not furnish material enough for trations of scenes in sacred history, which so rich a treasure of the choicest gems of afforded him much pleasure, and induced human genius, wisdom, and experience. It him to read the Scriptures. The course of embraces works of about forty authors, rep- an eventful life is not unfrequently shaped resenting the extremes of society, from the by some single incident in the experience of throne of the king to the boat of the fisher- childhood. In the case of Kitto, it is very man; it was written during a long period evident that there was a connection between of sixteen centuries, on the banks of the his interest in the old family Bible, with its Nile, in the desert of Arabia, in the land of pictures, and his subsequent fondness for promise, in Asia Minor, in classical Greece, Biblical studies. and in imperial Rome; it commences with When he was ten years old, he was the creation, and ends with the final glorifi- brought back to the parental home; his cation, after describing all the intervening father, a journeyman mason, required John stages in the revelation of God and the spir- to assist him. In the mean time, he imitual development of man; it uses all forms proved every leisure day and hour in reading of literary composition; it rises to the high- such books as he could find or borrow. est heights, and descends to the lowest depths While other boys were at play, he was readof humanity; it measures all states and conditions of life; it is acquainted with every grief and every woe; it touches every chord of sympathy; it contains the spiritual biography of every human heart; it is suited to every class of society, and can be read with the same interest and profit by the king and the beggar, by the philosopher and the child; it is as universal as the race, and reaches beyond the limits of time into the boundless regions of eternity." ing. In the year 1817, the thirteenth of his age, young Kitto suffered an injury which cast a disheartening cloud over his future prospects. He was employed in carrying slates to the roof of a house which his father was repairing, when, stepping from the ladder to the roof, his foot slipped, and he fell to the pavement below. He was conveyed in a senseless state to his home, and for two weeks there seemed to be but little hope of The Illustrated History of the Bible is his recovery. At the expiration of this one of the important works of Kitto, who time he opened his eyes and consciousness has contributed several other valuable and returned. His first thoughts were directed voluminous works to the cause of Biblical to his books, his mind reverting to the sublearning. For the numerous notes intro- ject with which it was occupied at the time duced, recourse has been had to the most of the casualty. He seemed greatly surreliable authors, and especially to the later prised to find himself weak and helpless. researches in the department of sacred lite- As yet he was not aware that, in consequence of the injury he had received, he had become entirely deaf. On inquiring for a book which he was reading just before he fell, he heard no answer. "Why do you not speak?" he asked with some impatience. The painful information was given to him, in writing, that he was deaf. rature. As some readers may be interested in a brief biographical notice of the distinguished Christian scholar referred to above, the following is here inserted. JOHN KITTO was born in Plymouth, Eng. land, Dec. 4, 1804. His father was a common laborer, in humble circumstances. Be- The fact of his deafness, depressing as ing addicted to intemperance, he squandered it was, and unfitting him as it did for most his earnings in ale-houses, and his family kinds of business, did not extinguish his was subjected to poverty and mortification. thirst for knowledge. He resorted to a vaHis son, John, was consequently removed riety of resources and expedients for earnto the home of his maternal grandmother, ing small sums of money, which he expended where he was tenderly cared for and in- in the purchase of cheap books. But his structed. Very early he manifested a strong scanty earnings were not sufficient for the desire for knowledge, and sought the society purchase of such books as he now craved, of those who would entertain him with sto- and for procuring food and clothing, which his parents in their poverty could no longer In his grandmother's library he found a provide for him. Consequently, in the fif family Bible, containing many pictorial illus-teenth year of his age, the poor deaf boy ries or loan him books. was sent to the poor-house. This stern, humiliating necessity seemed intolerable to his noble and sensitive spirit. After a while, however, he became resigned to this hard lot, and conducted himself in a manner that won the sympathy and kindness of the overseer. In the latter part of the year 1821, John Kitto was apprenticed to a shoemaker, who proved to be an unreasonable and cruel masBut in these circumstances, trying as they were, and though required to work sixteen or eighteen hours a day, he redeemed time from sleep for the pursuit of knowledge. His was a mind that rose above the pressure of the most depressing adversity. ter. where he engaged in the department of labor for which he had been set apart. On finding that his work was less favorable to intellectual and spiritual growth than he had expected, he resigned the situation. As a missionary company was about to be sent to Bagdad, he readily accepted an invitation to join the same. The voyage to that oriental city occupied six months, which time he improved in careful observations on men, customs, and places. While residing in that city, it was visited by the plague, the terrific ravages of which swept off more than onehalf the inhabitants in two months. Amidst this fearful desolation he remained calm and The promising abilities of this unfortunate active at his post. His connection with this youth were at last brought to the notice of mission continued about three and a half several gentlemen in Plymouth. Measures years. were proposed by them in 1823, with a view to procuring for him a situation favorable to the attainment of that knowledge and culture on which he was so intent. As the result of these humane efforts, he was removed from the work-house to the position of sublibrarian in the Plymouth Public Library. the "Pictorial Bible," in three volumes. Having triumphed over discouragements and difficulties which would have utterly disheartened a less brave and resolute spirit, he found himself on the upward career of successful literary culture and achievement. Two grand ideas now impressed and affected his mind, viz.: that he must make himself, and that usefulness should be the ruling purpose in the prosecution of his literary labors and attainments. The eventful history of his life affords abundant evidence that these noble ideas were not theoretical elements, but practical forces, the influence of which was signally manifested in the strength and affluence of a cultivated intellect, and in the widely appreciated usefulness resulting from his manifold and elaborate contributions to the department of Biblical learning. There were other elements of character which contributed to his masterly activity and signal success. These were singleness of aim, thoroughness of execution, rigid system, personal independence, and strong faith in God. The friends of Kitto advised him to engage in the work of a printing-office, for the purpose of qualifying himself to superintend a mission press. He did so, and in 1827 he received from the Church Missionary Soeiety the appointment of lay missionary. In this capacity he sailed for the Island of Malta, On returning to England, he settled near London, and engaged in literary pursuits. About this time he was married to a very excellent woman, who aided him in his labors. His first work was a book of travels in the East. Soon he commenced his great work, His "Pictorial History of Palestine and the Holy Land," followed. Then another great work, the Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature,' was published in two very large volumes. Another work was the "Gallery of Scripture Engravings and Landscape," in three volumes. Among his last productions may be mentioned the "Daily Bible Illustrations," in two series of four volumes each, designed for morning and evening reading. Other works, besides numerous contributions to magazines, were among his literary productions. They have, as a whole, greatly enriched the department of Biblical Literature, and been regarded as valuable helps in the explanation and illustration of the Sacred Scriptures. Their acknowledged value has secured for them a wide circulation among Bible students in England and in our own country. The religious change in the experience of Dr. Kitto, which occurred at the age of twenty-two, is referred to by him in a manner showing that it was deep and thorough. He speaks of it as the rising of "the dayspring from on high" upon his soul, through the grace of God. His intense and unremitting application to literary labors impaired his health, so that, when fifty years of age, he was compelled to suspend his labors, and resort to measures |